Former head teacher Duggie Speight jailed for sex crimes against boys

Speight, 44, as head of a school in Yorkshire, sexually abused a teenage boy and secretly filmed young boys naked in a changing room. The 15 charges, reported to relate to four boys, include sexual activity with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of a child and voyeurism.

Speight was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court where prosecutor Tom Storey said that Speight, began grooming a boy at his flat during lockdown, reports the BBC.

Judge Richard Mansell QC said the offending was at the highest category of harm and sentenced Speight to 12 years with an extended licence of eight years. He said Speight had used his position of trust to "cynically manipulate" the boy and his family.

"Your public persona hid a very dark secret, that you are a highly dangerous, predatory, manipulative paedophile," the judge said.

Speight must serve at least two thirds of the 12 years behind bars and all of it if the Parole Board decides it isn’t safe to release him.

Speight became friends with the boy's family and offered tutoring, the court heard. He gave the boy alcohol, took him out and bought him presents.

Following an overdose, the boy confided in a friend and police were contacted.

Speight denied the allegations at first. However a search of his home uncovered mobiles phones and a tablet hidden behind a wall which contained indecent videos of the teenager taken without his knowledge. There was also a video of young boys changing at a swimming pool.

In an impact statement, the boy's mother said Speight had "destroyed my happy family life".
"He used my friendship and trust and twisted it. He stole my son's innocence and we can never get it back."

Alison Millar is head of Leigh Day abuse team. She said:

“Speight’s callous and calculating methods of grooming a young person are typical of those we have encountered in our long experience of handling abuse claims. The courage of survivors in speaking out about such abuse is commendable, their bravery in confronting their dangerous abuser will save others and help them to overcome the damage that criminals such as Speight have inflicted for their own satisfaction.”